Helpful information to get you started in researching through the Church History Biographical Database.
What is the Church History Biographical Database?
To read an overview of the Church History Biographical Database, visit our Overview article.
Does the Database include biographical narratives or just basicfacts?
On the surface, the Biographical Database may seem like an encyclopedia; however, it is easier to view as an index. The Biographical Database is not intended to provide an interpretation of history; instead, we focus on providing primary and secondary source references that help show how an individual participated in the Church.
Who is included in the Database?
People in the database must fit the following requirements:
Be a memberof the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or have a significant connection to the Church
Have primary source evidence of their involvement with the Church
Fit within the scope of the data categories
A complete list of the data categories can be found on the search results page here:
Will you continue to add to the Database? (What is the future of the Database?)
Over time we plan to add more data categories that Latter-day Saints participated in various capacities. We are constantly researching and reviewing potential categories to include in the database and plan to add new categories regularly moving forward.
What is your relationship with FamilySearch?
The Church History Department and FamilySearch are two separatedepartments in the Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church History Biographical Database is a product of the Church History Department.Wherewe canidentifyconnections, profiles in the database are linked to the individual’s FamilySearch profile for your convenience.
We also have an integrated ancestor view that utilizes FamilySearch to automatically identify your direct-line ancestors who appear in the database. This is done through the “Show My Ancestors” feature when you log in with your FamilySearch account.
How do I search for a specific person?
The search function is designed to be simple, fast, and centered on finding the information you need. You may start by simply typing a name in the search bar to look for results.
You may filter those results with the tabs on the left side. These will help you narrow down your search results to focus on more specific entities and categories. If you return more results that don’t seem to match your query, try using the ‘Exact Match’ checkbox.
How do I search specific entities?
Within search results you will have the option of searching through different entities: People, Organizations, Positions, Sources, etc. When you select different entities in the search results page the left sidebar filters will change to better accommodate your search needs.
How do I view sources for a specific person or entity?
Viewing sources for a specific person or entity can be done from the timeline page. All timeline events are sourced at the event-level (we also refer to this as in-line sourcing). The sources can be viewed via the ‘Sources’ hyperlink, which will generate a pop-up box with a list of hyperlinked (where possible) sources related to the specific event. All sources related to the person or entity are also compiled at the bottom in a ‘Sources’ drawer.
How can I submit corrections or additional information?
If you would like to send us additional information, click the “Feedback” or “Submit Additional Information” button under the “Sources” section of the page.
We accept vital information and digital versions of photographs for review from direct descendants of any person in the database. Once reviewed and approved, information may be added to that individual’s profile. We also welcome primary evidence of individuals missing from the database, if their participation in one of the data categories can be verified using primary sources.
What is Primary Documentation?
Primary Documentation, or primary sources, are drawn from sources and artifacts created during the time of study. Examples of primary sources include, but are not limited to authentic diaries, letters, photographs, maps, recordings, reports, speeches, newspapers, and military draft cards. These sources are considered authoritative.
Examples of non-primary sources (secondary or tertiary) are: published biographies, historical monographs, dissertations and theses, journal articles, and book reviews. Most of these items would be considered either secondary or tertiary sources because they are current or modern interpretations of the past (not from the actual time period).
What Primary Documentation do you use?
Most primary documentation we use comes from the Church History Library resources. We link to digitized documents made available in the Library’s catalog. In some cases, we also link to the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University, the Family History Library, and other online digital repositories. Here are a few examples of primary sources used in our research:
If you’d like to view highlights of other primary sources housed in the Church History Library, see Frequently Used Collections.
How do I donate historical items and photographs?
The Church History Biographical Database team does not facilitate donations of actual items such as journals, photographs, letters, etc. The Church History Library has an acquisitions team you may contact that can help facilitate donations of items to the Church History Department. You can find more information on the Gifts and Donations section on the Church History Library page.
